Media: EU steps up to support Radio Free Europe after Trump’s funding slash

Seven EU member states are backing a Czech proposal for the EU to take over funding Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), following significant cuts to its financial support by the Trump administration.

The initiative, which includes support from Germany as well as several Nordic and Baltic nations, seeks to ensure continued operations of RFE/RL, which is seen as a vital source of independent information in regions where democratic rights are either restricted or under threat, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The Czech Republic, where RFE/RL is headquartered, raised the issue during an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on March 17.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called on EU ministers to explore ways to maintain the service's crucial news coverage in countries where free media is either banned or underdeveloped.

Responding to questions about the proposal, the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, stated that the EU could not "automatically" step in to replace the US, but discussions had already started "to find a way to see what we can do."

The US Agency for Global Media, under President Trump's administration, has recently announced the termination of grants to RFE/RL, which broadcasts to countries including Iran, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The cuts, which were framed as an effort to reduce federal bureaucracy, have raised concerns about the future of the service, particularly in regions where access to independent media is limited. 

Despite the funding cuts, RFE/RL journalists continued their work on March 17, with stories appearing on the website. RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus condemned the decision, calling the termination of the grant agreement "a massive gift to America's enemies" in a statement.

In addition to the RFE/RL issue, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski remarked, "We will look at what can be done" to assist both Radio Free Europe and Voice of America, where more than 1,300 employees were placed on leave on March 15. 

Trump also signed an executive order on March 14 aimed at cutting funding to the parent organisation of Voice of America, alongside six other federal agencies, shortly after his administration cancelled over 80 per cent of the programmes at the US Agency for International Development.

By Naila Huseynova